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USA Health offers an extensive network of physicians and other health care providers through USA Physicians Group, the region’s largest multispecialty practice, and several other affiliated physician practices.

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At USA Health, we treat people. In doing so, we want to understand your unique needs so our doctors and other providers can design a plan of care specifically for you. Use the field below to search for a specific service, treatment, specialty or provider.

Find a Doctor

Find a Provider

Physicians Group

USA Health offers an extensive network of physicians and other health care providers through USA Physicians Group, the region’s largest multispecialty practice, and several other affiliated physician practices.

Services

Find a Service

At USA Health, we treat people. In doing so, we want to understand your unique needs so our doctors and other providers can design a plan of care specifically for you. Use the field below to search for a specific service, treatment, specialty or provider.

Got Knee Problems? We are here to help.

A torn meniscus is a common knee injury that is often seen in athletes. However, any activity that causes you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee, especially when putting pressure on it, can lead to a tear.

"The menisci are thick, load-bearing cartilage within the knee that are important in shock absorption and joint stability," said Dr. Albert Pearsall, professor of orthopaedics and director of sports medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine. "They are c-shaped, attached to bone, and act to disperse the weight of the body and reduce friction during movement."

If you've torn your meniscus, you may experience the following signs and symptoms in your knee:

• A popping sensation

• Swelling or stiffness

• Pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee

• Difficulty straightening your knee fully

• Feeling as if your knee were locked in place

Dr. Pearsall said there are different treatment options available for patients with a torn meniscus - including meniscal repair, debridement (taking the meniscus out), and meniscal transplantation (a procedure that transplants a cadaver meniscus into a patient’s knee).

When the meniscus is removed, the patient is left without much joint cushion. Over time, it can lead to arthritis in the knee joint and patients can develop pain where the meniscus was removed.

A meniscal transplant procedure involves the transplantation of a cadaver meniscus, harvested sterilely from a donor at time of death and preserved.

According to Dr. Pearsall, the ideal patient for a meniscal transplantation is someone under the age of 50 who has had their meniscus removed and who is having symptoms. Appropriate candidates for transplantation include non-obese patients with stable, well-aligned knees.

If you are a good candidate for a meniscus transplant, X-rays of your knee are usually taken to find a meniscus that will fit correctly into your knee. “They all have different sizes, shapes, configurations, and roles,” Dr. Pearsall said. “The meniscus has to match your size or it won’t fit."

Pre-operative planning for a meniscal transplantation involves a clinical evaluation to make sure the patient’s symptoms match what is seen on the X-ray, as well as an MRI to document that the meniscus is gone.

Dr. Pearsall said recovery time for a meniscal transplant is approximately three to six months before the patient is cleared for unlimited activities.

To request an appointment with a USA Health physician or specialist, click here to use our online form or contact our Patient Navigator at (251) 434-3711.

USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute has launched a statewide campaign called “GO Teal and White” to raise awareness about how to prevent cervical cancer, which is killing more women in Alabama than in any other state in the nation. The campaign will run throughout January, Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.